Celebrating Caribbean Communities Contribution To Football

CARIBBRITXI: Celebrating British players with Caribbean roots

I could not resist. After BritJam and AfriBrit I had to put together a CaribBrit team – and I can already hear the groans about my team selection.

The truth is there are just so many British players with Caribbean roots – I could have picked five teams. No doubt, you are already scribbling down an eleven you believe would be far stronger than mine. If so, I am pleased the initiative has got you thinking about players backgrounds and achievements.

But as I have always stressed, as well as being a bit of fun, these teams are not about celebrating individuals. These teams are about recognizing communities.

Every single player in these teams represents the success of ethnic minority families and communities. The subject matter in this case is football – but it could easily be a list of doctors, lawyers, educationalist, engineers and so forth.

Being involved in Andrew Cole’s ITV Sports Life story reminded me that behind every success story there is often a struggle. His father came to the UK and worked as a miner to support his family. That support enabled Andrew to go on to achieve great things. It was essential to tell the nation about his father’s experience of racism and his dedication to supporting his family within the documentary, to help people understand what communities went through, and continue to do so.

Jermain Defoe is another I know who has benefited from the support of his family – his mother in particular – and unquestionably, every one of the players in the Carib-Brit and Afri-Brit squads will have had to overcome their own challenges.

Let us never forget to thank those who fought for the opportunities we have today.

 – Disagree with my team selection? Tweet me @Leon_Mann and I’ll get back to you!